Chenjie Wang, Lu Yin, Qing Zhao, Wei Wang, Chengyuan Li and Bin Luo
To ensure the safety of electric power supply, it is necessary to inspect substation equipment. With the dramatic increase in the number of substations, especially indoor…
Abstract
Purpose
To ensure the safety of electric power supply, it is necessary to inspect substation equipment. With the dramatic increase in the number of substations, especially indoor substations, intelligent robot inspection has become an important development direction. This paper aims to describe the design of a trackless robot with a robotic arm, which is capable of navigating autonomously and inspecting the equipment in a narrow and complex indoor substation.
Design/methodology/approach
A robust four-wheel platform powered by electric motors is used to carry the robot. By fusing multiple-sensor data and visual markers, the robot achieves autonomous movement based on simultaneous localization and mapping. In addition, to accurately obtain the reading of meters located at height or in a narrow space, the robot is equipped with a newly designed visual servo robotic arm.
Findings
In practical application, the robot satisfies the requirements of substation inspection, improves work efficiency, saves costs and achieves good results. The robot is also approved by the relevant departments of the State Grid Corporation of China.
Practical implications
After stable operation in a substation for a period of one year, the robot shows high efficiency and stability, meeting the requirements of indoor substation inspection. Meanwhile, the robot greatly promoted the realization of indoor and outdoor integrated substation automatic inspection, and is expected to be further applied in other industrial inspection sites, including mine, tunnel and nuclear power plant.
Originality/value
Due to the complex indoor environment, most of the existing inspection robots are only used outdoors, and there are no good trackless inspection robots for use indoors. The proposed robot is a trackless intelligent inspection robot for use in indoor substations. The robot features a number of important modules, including an autonomous localization and navigation module and a visual servo manipulator module, which can be used in narrow spaces or at height.
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Chen Hai-Ming, Lan Li-Chi, Chiu Tao-Sheng and Fang Chen-Ling
This paper aims to explore the impact of corporate social responsibility and hypocrisy on the relationship among psychological contract violation, trust and perceived betrayal.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the impact of corporate social responsibility and hypocrisy on the relationship among psychological contract violation, trust and perceived betrayal.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used purposive sampling and selected students in Taiwan as the research participants. The theory of psychological contract violation and consumer awareness process in violation hypocrisy on psychological contract violation were used to investigate the effect of its impact on trust and perceived betrayal. Then, the moderating effect of social responsibility and hypocritical on trust, and the mediating effect of trust between psychological contract violation and perceived betrayal were analyzed.
Findings
The results indicated that hypocrisy had a significant and negative impact on psychological contract violation toward trust; hypocrisy had a significantly positive impact on psychological contract violation toward perceived betrayal; trust had a significantly negative impact on perceived betrayal; perceived betrayal had a significantly positive impact on both direct and indirect revenges; trust had a mediating effect between hypocrisy toward psychological contract violation and perceived betrayal; and higher hypocrisy would produce a stronger effect through trust on the relationships between hypocrisy toward psychological contract violation and perceived betrayal.
Originality/value
Perception of consumers would differ whenever there were failures of service recovery occurred; especially, stronger betrayal feeling would be perceived with the companies who emphasized social responsibility and did not carry out what they should do. Research results could be references for companies whom advertising and praising social responsibility.
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In order to pursue men's suit wear comfort, the basic data on an accurate men's suit comfort analysis with clothing pressure is required. Therefore, in such investigation, it is…
Abstract
In order to pursue men's suit wear comfort, the basic data on an accurate men's suit comfort analysis with clothing pressure is required. Therefore, in such investigation, it is difficult to find out ideal persons as test subjects. In the measuring experiments, we used dummies designed for resuscitation practice to obtain the clothing pressure with both normal standing posture and movement patterns and compared these data with subjects' to give the relationship of clothing pressure between the dummy and subject. The correlation between the measurements with dummies and the subjects' are shown. It turns out that the dummy D1 and D6 are mainly as intended in pressure measurement with normal standing posture. But the dummy D2 and D3 are not. It turns out that the dummy D1 can imitate the human shoulder's movement patterns well, and the dummy D4 and D6 are mainly as intended. But the dummy D2 is not. It turns out that all the dummies have a certain limitation to be placed in clothing pressure measurements. It also shows that instead of subject to use dummy to investigate clothing pressure with both normal standing posture and movement pattern, not only dummy's features such as compression hardness, form and size, but measuring postures are also needed to take into consideration.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to enhance the anticorrosion property of aluminium pigments and to improve their compatibility with polymers in coating.
Design/methodology/approach
Aluminium pigments encapsulated by organic‐inorganic layer were prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of organic silane acrylate resin and tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) on the surface of pigments via sol‐gel method. TEOS and poly (methyl methacryalte‐n‐butyl acrylate‐vinyl triethoxysilane) (PMBV) formed in advance by co‐polymerisation of methyl methacrylate (MMA), n‐butyl acrylate (BA) and vinyl triethoxysilane (VTES) were used as precursors. The adhesion property of the aluminium pigments was measured by peel test, and the loss of silvery appearance after encapsulation and acid soaking were both evaluated by colour lightness difference (ΔL) measurement. The encapsulated aluminium pigments were further characterised by means of FTIR, SEM, TG and XPS.
Findings
It was found that PMBV‐SiO2 thin films could be formed on the surface of aluminium pigments smoothly and uniformly, and the adhesion and anticorrosion performances of encapsulated aluminium pigments were improved significantly.
Research limitations/implications
The organic silane acrylate resin used as a precursor in the sol‐gel process could be synthesised from other aclyate monomers. In addition, the hydrolysis and condensation mechanism of organic silane acrylate resin on the surface of aluminium pigments need further studies.
Practical implications
The method developed provided a good solution to the two problems of aluminium pigments and increased their application values.
Originality/value
The method of improving adhesion and anticorrosion properties of aluminium pigments was novel and could find numerous applications in surface coatings and adhesives.
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Ruhua Huang, Tong Lai and Lihong Zhou
This paper reports on a critical literature review, which aimed to identify, understand and qualify barriers that hinder the release of open government data (OGD) in China…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reports on a critical literature review, which aimed to identify, understand and qualify barriers that hinder the release of open government data (OGD) in China. Moreover, the purpose of this paper is to develop and propose a theoretical framework, which can be adopted as a basis for empirical investigation in the future, and to articulate mitigating strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted an inductive qualitative approach, retrieving 42 academic articles from three main Chinese academic databases: CNKI, Wanfang and CQVIP. A thematic analysis approach was employed for the literature analysis.
Findings
The literature analysis pointed to 15 barriers to the release of OGD in China. Furthermore, the barriers emerged in the following three main themes: institutional barriers, data integrity and quality barriers, and user participation barriers.
Originality/value
This paper reports on one of the early research efforts into the problems of releasing OGD in China. Although this study focusses on Chinese context and issues, the findings and lessons learnt can be shared across international borders.
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Chen‐Lung Yang, Ru‐Jen Lin, Dennis Krumwiede, Elizabeth Stickel and Chwen Sheu
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of purchasing activities and the purchasing function's involvement with corporate strategy on manufacturing competitiveness as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of purchasing activities and the purchasing function's involvement with corporate strategy on manufacturing competitiveness as it is affected by national differences. In particular, the authors are interested in the research question: do purchasing theories built on samples from mainly North American and Western European countries apply in other countries with different cultural contexts?
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the 511 samples collected from ten countries or two distinct cultural groups (Group 1: Asia; Group 2: Western Europe/USA), the authors tested a purchasing model that is well‐grounded in the literature. Two statistical methods were applied. First, multiple‐group structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was performed to test the model. The authors then applied regression analysis to examine whether the two country groups differ in their choice and efficacy of purchasing activities and strategic involvement.
Findings
The results suggest that the intensity and efficacy of purchasing activities and strategic involvement vary between the two country groups, Asia and Western Europe/USA. The Western Europe/USA samples adequately fit the purchasing model, but the Asian samples do not. At the item level, the study finds a common set of purchasing activities contributing to manufacturing competitiveness regardless of national differences. The findings suggest that national differences matter in implementing purchasing activities.
Originality/value
This study represents a first attempt at using national culture to explain differences in purchasing activities and strategic involvement.
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In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet and e-commerce, the online retail business has grown rapidly. E-commerce platforms can track different click data to…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet and e-commerce, the online retail business has grown rapidly. E-commerce platforms can track different click data to understand consumer behavior and demand preferences, so as to make better demand forecasts, and strategically share this information with upstream suppliers. When the platform charges a certain fee for the shared data, the suppliers face the question of whether to purchase demand information. This article aims to analyze the influence of price competition and advertising competition on the suppliers' decisions to purchase information and the online platform for data pricing.
Design/methodology/approach
By using static game with incomplete information, this paper explores information-sharing strategies of an online platform with two competitive brand suppliers. The authors use Nash game to analyze the suppliers' purchasing information decision and then obtain the optimal information price of the online platform with information-sharing contract.
Findings
This paper shows that demand information sharing benefits both the platform and the suppliers. Without information contracts, the online platform is willing to share demand information with at least one supplier. Especially, when the consumer's sensitivity to advertising is larger and the commission fee charged by the online platform is small, the online platforms will share information with only one supplier. Based on the game outcomes between the suppliers, two pricing strategies for information are proposed under which at least one supplier purchases information. If the consumers are less (more) sensitive to advertising competition, pricing strategy of the online platform induces both suppliers (only one supplier) to purchase information.
Originality/value
At present, most of the information-sharing articles are based on the traditional purchase and sale mode. Based on the background of e-commerce, this paper examines the online platform's information-sharing strategies, which has certain innovation. In addition, the results show that the information-sharing strategy of the online platform is affected by both the price and advertising competitiveness, which provides a new expansion and supplement for the information-sharing literature.
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Edwin Sallica-Leva, Fernando Henrique da Costa, Cláudio Teodoro Dos Santos, André Luiz Jardini, Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva and João Batista Fogagnolo
This paper aims to describe the obtainment of Ti-6Al-4V parts with a hierarchical arrangement of pores by additive manufacturing, aiming at designing orthopedic implants.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe the obtainment of Ti-6Al-4V parts with a hierarchical arrangement of pores by additive manufacturing, aiming at designing orthopedic implants.
Design/methodology/approach
The experimental methodology compares microstructural and mechanical properties of Menger pre-fractal sponges of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and electron beam powder bed fusion (EBPBF), with three different porosity volumes. The pore arrangement followed the formation sequence of the Menger sponge, with hierarchical order from 1 to 3.
Findings
The LPBF parts presented a martensitic microstructure, while the EBPBF parts presented an α + ß microstructure, independently of its wall thickness. The LPBF parts presented higher mechanical resistance and effective stiffness than the EBPBF parts with similar porosity volume. The stiffness values of the Menger pre-fractal sponges of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, between 4 and 29 GPa, are comparable to those of the cortical bone. Furthermore, the deformation behavior presented by the Menger pre-fractal sponges of Ti-6Al-4V alloy did not follow the Gibson and Ashby model's prediction.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to obtain Menger pre-fractal sponges of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by LPBF and EBPBF. The deformation behavior of the obtained porous parts was contrasted with the Gibson and Ashby model's prediction.
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Dongwei Wang, Faqiang Li, Yang Zhao, Fanyu Wang and Wei Jiang
This paper aims to study the tribological characteristics of the electrical contact system under different displacement amplitudes.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the tribological characteristics of the electrical contact system under different displacement amplitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the risk frequency of real nuclear safety distributed control system (DCS) equipment is evaluated. Subsequently, a reciprocating friction test device which is characterized by a ball-on-flat configuration is established, and a series of current-carrying tribological tests are carried out at this risk frequency.
Findings
At risk frequency and larger displacement amplitude, the friction coefficient visibly rises. The reliability of the electrical contact system declines as amplitude increases. The wear morphology analysis shows that the wear rate increases significantly and the degree of interface wear intensifies at a larger amplitude. The wear area occupied by the third body layer increases sharply, and the appearance of plateaus on the surface leads to the increase of friction coefficient and contact resistance. EDS analysis suggests that oxygen elements progressively arise in the third layer as a result of increased air exposure brought on by larger displacement amplitude.
Originality/value
Results are significant for recognizing the tribological properties of electrical connectors in nuclear power control systems.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-03-2024-0098/
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Zhu Yao, Xianchun Zhang, Jinlian Luo and Hui Huang
Workplace bullying is a common negative event suffered by employees in the workplace. The harm it brings to the organization has become the focus of the field of organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
Workplace bullying is a common negative event suffered by employees in the workplace. The harm it brings to the organization has become the focus of the field of organizational behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore whether workplace bullying has an impact on employee knowledge hiding and to discover the underlying mechanism between the two.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the conservation of resource theory and the cognitive-affective personality system theory, this paper surveys 327R&D employees of Chinese technological corporations at two time points and explores the relationship between workplace bullying and knowledge hiding as well as the underlying mechanism. This study used confirmatory factor analysis, bootstrapping method and structural equation model to validate the research hypothesis.
Findings
The results show that workplace bullying positively correlates with knowledge hiding; emotional exhaustion and organizational identification play a mediation role between workplace bullying and knowledge hiding, and both variables play a chain mediation role in that relationship; and forgiveness climate moderates the positive impact of workplace bullying on emotional exhaustion, further moderating the chain mediation role of emotional exhaustion and organizational identification.
Originality/value
The findings of this study can not only complement the existing researches on the influence of negative workplace events on employees’ knowledge hiding behaviors but also strengthen scholars’ attention and understanding of the internal mechanism between workplace bullying and knowledge hiding.